Author: James McNally

The Best Films Of 2004, According To…Me!

Well, I’ve finally come up with my lists. That’s right, lists plural. I decided that since I see so many documentaries now, that I’d give them a separate list. All films were released in 2004, though I saw a few of them in 2005. A few of the foreign films may not have been released in North America yet, but I saw them at film festivals. The first number following the title is my IMDB rating (out of 10) and the second is the current average among all IMDB voters. Clicking an asterisk will take you to my review of the film (usually only for films seen at the Toronto International Film Festival).

Best Films

  1. Sideways — (10/8.2)
  2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — (10/8.6)
  3. The Aviator — (9/8.0)
  4. The Incredibles — (9/8.3)
  5. Crimen Ferpecto (Spain) — (9/6.2) *
  6. Les Choristes (France) — (9/7.6) *
  7. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou — (8/7.4)
  8. The Door in the Floor — (8/6.9)
  9. La Mala Educación (Spain) — (8/7.5) *
  10. Open Water — (8/6.1)

Best Documentaries

  1. Super Size Me — (9/7.8)
  2. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson — (9/9.3) *
  3. A League of Ordinary Gentlemen — (9/6.8)
  4. Fahrenheit 9/11 — (8/7.9)
  5. Mondovino — (8/7.1) *
  6. Control Room — (8/7.9)
  7. Tying the Knot — (8/9.4)
  8. Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession — (8/6.0) *
  9. Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism — (8/7.7)
  10. Salvador Allende — (8/7.2) *

What were some of your favourites?

Film Lists A-Plenty!

Here is an interesting thread discussing the National Society of Film Critics’ list of “100 Essential Films”. And if that’s not enough, here’s a whole page of film lists. (bless you, rebecca)

And for those of you who are waiting with baited breath for my own “Top Films” list, I refuse to disappoint. But, gimme a few more days, will ya? I’m still seeing some stuff.

And the “Essential 100”? I’ve seen 32.2. I’ve watched two of the episodes of the Decalogue so far. Plus, I tried watching another on the list and turned it off after half an hour (Happy Together? How ironic!).

Austin Blues

It’s January and I haven’t booked my ticket to Austin yet. Back in 2000, I was talking about SxSW 2001 in September, for crying out loud! Recent world events have made me less than enthusiastic about many things in my life, and my annual pilgrimage to blogger Mecca is one of them.

The past four years have been a blast, but it was impossible not to notice that the “first wave” of blogfolk have begun staying home. As the community has become larger, it’s become harder to spend significant time with anybody, and although I love meeting new people, sometimes I miss the early sense of camaraderie.

There are a few other factors. The trip gets harder to fund every year. Though I’m in love with my job, it doesn’t pay nearly as much as my old sales job. Last year, Nick Finck was gracious enough to sponsor my freebie press pass as I was still affiliated with Digital Web magazine, but that’s no more. Last year, I shared a room with two friends, but that left me without a bed of my own, and I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again.

I’m sure I could stay with my pals, the wonderful Browns, but that leaves me far from the action and although I’d relish the chance to spend more time with them, I’d be dependent on them (or taxis) to get to and from events.

Not to mention that Brooke’s contract just ended and she’s got nothing solid lined up. Plus, we’re hoping to spend a week in Iceland (yes, Iceland!) in August, and that will be expensive (even though it looks like the flights will be covered by some nifty airline miles my boss gave me for Christmas!).

Still, March for me has always meant Austin, and it’s the one time of year I can usually connect with many online friends I never see otherwise.

Ah, malaise! Maybe some of youse guys can shake me out of it. What are your plans for SxSW this year?

Wine Geek Insecurity

Slate’s wine columnist Mike Steinberger weighs in on Sideways, perhaps my favourite film of 2004. Though he generally likes it, he can’t help but display some typical wine geek insecurity. He worries that Paul Giamatti’s portrayal of Miles Raymond, a character who is, in his words, “a bit of a wine asshole” will reflect badly on all wine lovers. He implicitly worries that people might think the character’s arrogance and selfishness somehow flow out of his being a wine connoisseur. Mike, relax! Miles is a character in a movie. He’s not representing everyone who loves wine. He’s not representing all middle-aged men. And no, Mike, he’s not representing you.

Although I do consider myself a wine lover, I’m not obsessive, and the thing I liked most about the film is that it’s not particularly about wine at all. It’s about life, with all its disappointments and its pleasures. And it’s about the crazy broken people who live it.

UPDATE: About an equal number of people get it and don’t get it on the eGullet Forums. When someone says the movie isn’t believable because a “true wine geek wouldn’t…”, I just had to roll my eyes.